20 June 2014

What's news about meeting and talking to an Afro-Carribean cyclist in deepest Somerset?

Today, during an hour's walk through the beautiful countryside near my home, I was surprised to meet an Afro-Carribean dressed in full kit for a long stint at cycling.

It was a very expensive bike with the latest in gear-changing equipment.

Should I have been surprised?

Should I be ashamed?

Should I have noticed?

Does the noticing mean I'm a prejudiced bastard because he spoke with an upper-class English accent.

But I do confess to being surprised.

I do feel ashamed by my reaction.

I should not have noticed.

I was wrong to be surprised by his upper-class English accent...

I hope that no one will notice and/or come up with better answers than mine in a generation's time (I am 70 years old) - especially when I'm related by marriage to someone as charming as Ade, who moved his family to Australia hoping to escape a life marred by color-prejudice in the UK.

Last time I attempted to comment on your blog I had trouble with the procedure which checks that I am not a troll or spammer or indeed a robot. I could not read the phrase I had to reproduce, several times. So I deleted what I had contributed and went away in disgust. If I can remember my original contribution I will return... DSA99UK

I read your blogpost about meeting a fully equipped cyclist in a Somerset country lane. This would be of no surprise to anyone in Yorkshire where everyone has gone mad over #letour. However I fully understand your problems with diversity in the west country. At about the same time as I originally read your remarks I spotted this article in The Western Morning Post https://www.google.co.uk/search?output=search&sclient=psy-ab&q=devon+school+all+white+&gbv=1&sei=1mKtU5K2MJHX7AbQjYDADQ which outlines an excellent way of dealing with your err... doubts -;)dsa99uk

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